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15/09/2013

It's SHOW TIME!

Hi,

at this very moment it is a dull, wet and windy Sunday afternoon. Eldest and girlfriend have morphed into couch potatoes on the settee, Himself is upstairs covering himself with plaster dust, Youngest has been doing his homework and I have gone all homestead and been making soups, jellies, pickles and cheese cake.

However, yesterday was a completely differently kind of day!

I was helping/working at the Hodder Valley Agriculture show with the company stall. It was a looooong day but most enjoyable. We were SO lucky with the weather. But let me start at the beginning :)

I had to be at work for 7.30am on the Saturday (what??!) I got there just after 7.50.....oops.

My little car was stuffed to the gunnels with seats, gas bottles, banners, coffee, tea, biscuits, bunting, boxes with my colleague and I squished in the front. Two vets who were also manning the stall had similarly crammed full cars. When we landed at the show grounds I was the only one in a little car, every one and I mean EVERYONE else had 4x4s, landrovers, tractors, gas guzzlers and they just cruised over the field. My poor little car carefully picked his way to our stall (a partially erected tent....) and the only way I could park was to drive THROUGH the tent and hide my dear little car behind. I was cheered by the stewards as I drove through! Our spot was in just the right place, with an excellent view of the showing ring with the cattle stalls behind us.

The four of us then at double time finished erecting the tent and setting out our posters, urn, tea and biscuits and...our crowd puller.....a barrel of beer brewed at a micro pub in our village - a sure fire winner for thirsty farmers.

As the time came closer for the cattle classes to begin, the cow stalls were a hive of activity. Prize beasts were primped and primed, their coats washed at the cow-washing-station then blown dry with a special cow-hair-gel being applied to make their coats fluff up and look curled. I was fascinated!

Then once the bovine beauties were ready, they were haltered up and walked around the ring - with varying degrees of success. Some animals walked sedately while others leapt about, dragging their red faced farmers puffing and cursing behind them.

Some of the handlers were seasoned show hardy folk but there were a few novice ones too.

There was an awful lot of...aaaws and aaaahs when this little tot took her heifer round the ring (with her super protective dad in a supporting role).

There was an awful lot of bull going on!

And our crowd pulling pints (ok ok not quite pints) certainly did the trick, we had a steady flow of farmers and visitors through out the day.

What a lovely account of your day Hawthorn, and lovely pics especially of the little tot in his little wee white jeans and shirt AND welly boots: gorgeous! I can imagine the fun created by you driving through the tent - that would have made a good pic with all the stewards etc. cheering you on in the background.Looking forward to your next post, thank you.Joy x

What a lovely day and your photos are just wonderful.We used to holiday in Yorkshire quite a lot when our children were small, and we always enjoyed visiting the local agricultural shows. Thanks for bringing back happy memories!